Sicilian Planeta Triumphant at 2023 NYIOOC

Italian producer Planeta has won an award at the 2023 NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition, the world's largest olive oil quality contest.

We are truly happy and flattered to win this award. We are especially happy because we think that United States consumers increasingly appreciate true quality.

Alessio Planeta, CEO

Based in Sicily, the company earned a Silver Award for its Planeta Tradizionale brand, an organic medium-intensity blend. Since 2018, the company has earned six awards at the World Competition.

"We are truly happy and flattered to win this award," chief executive Alessio Planeta said. "We are especially happy because we think that United States consumers increasingly appreciate true quality in premium extra virgin olive oil from the best areas of the world."

"Consumers finally understand that a great bottle of olive oil is mandatory in any real food lover's kitchen," he added.

Unlike plenty of his colleagues, Planeta said the company's 2022/23 crop year went very well. "The last harvest was not challenging for us: quality was at his best; quantity, compared to the last years, was average," he said.

"Moreover, we run our 148 hectares of olive trees in the Oasi di Capparrina, Menfi, Sicily, with the gentlest and most respectful agricultural procedures: so we are much less liable to production's ups and downs," Planeta added.

Held each spring in New York, the NYIOOC World Olive Oil Competition is the world's most prestigious olive oil contest. Its annual listing of award winners is considered the authoritative guide to the year’s best extra virgin olive oils.

The complete list of winners can be viewed in the Official Guide to the World's Best Olive Oils.